Drones

Tether Eye targets persistent ISR role

AeroVironment has developed a new tethered quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is designed to provide 24-hour continuous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations from fixed sites including forward operating bases (FOBs) and critical infrastructure.

The Tether Eye system is launched and recovered automatically from a self-contained unit and can fly up to 150 ft above ground level, where it will hover and provide 360° coverage, David Sharpin, vice-president, UAS business development for AeroVironment, told IHS Jane's.

"You can put [Tether Eye] on the top of a building and plug it into shore power," he said. "It is designed for static security and strategic infrastructure such as buildings, embassies, and FOBs. It also could be used for small unit security and it can be put on the back of vehicles."